Michigan Democrats wrap up the holiday week with a review of what we are most grateful for this year
LANSING — As we kick off this holiday season and prepare for Thanksgiving, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on all of the things we have to be thankful for this year. With major legislative wins thanks to our historic trifecta, in spite of an entirely dysfunctional MIGOP, there is a lot to choose from.
We’ll start with the obvious: we at the Michigan Democratic Party are incredibly thankful that we are not Kristina Karamo, the aforementioned Michigan GOP, the extreme Freedom Caucus, a disgraced former governor who poisoned Flint (guess who), and last (and maybe also least), our favorite House Minority leader MAGA Matt Hall. We’re thankful that our party knows how to win elections, avoid actual physical fighting at committee meetings, not be investigated for questionable financial dealings, and not try to sell buildings that we do not in fact own.
This year, Michigan Democrats in the state Legislature and Governor Gretchen Whitmer proved that you can expand reproductive rights, grow the middle class, promote clean energy policies, put money back in the pockets of working families and seniors, and protect our children from senseless gun violence – with or without Republican support. Just this week, Governor Whitmer signed Democrats’ Reproductive Health Act and domestic violence gun bills into law, once again taking steps towards a healthier and safer Michigan.
Michigan Democrats have delivered on every issue this year, setting a real example for what leadership looks like, and we’re just getting started.
What’s at the top of our gratitude list this Thanksgiving? Check it out:
We’re oh so grateful to have a competent party Chair who hasn’t made shady financial transactions and has not led us into financial ruin:
- ICYMI: Bombshell Reporting Reveals MIGOP Even More Broke Than We Thought
- According to the reports, as of mid-August, the Republican state party has a measly $35,000 in the bank and Chair Karamo seems to be making shady transfers of cash from her own campaign war chest, raising some major red flags.
We’re grateful to Democrats for passing law after law to make reproductive care more accessible:
- Governor Whitmer Repeals Michigan’s Extreme 1931 Abortion Ban
- Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed bipartisan legislation repealing the state’s 1931 law banning abortion without exceptions for rape or incest and criminalizing nurses and doctors for doing their jobs.
- Michigan Democrats Continue to Deliver, Protect Workers’ Right to Reproductive Care
- On Wednesday, the House passed a bill expanding the protections of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights act to bar employers from discriminating against any employees who received an abortion.
- Michigan Democrats Celebrate Gov Signing of Another Step Towards Reproductive Freedom
- Governor Whitmer signed the Reproductive Health Act into Michigan law to remove dangerous restrictions on reproductive freedom that hurt marginalized communities and obstruct access to abortion for Michiganders.
We’re grateful we don’t have leaders like MAGA Matt Hall in our party, and we will continue to hold him accountable for his history of partner harassment and violent threats:
- ICYMI: Pressure Mounts on MAGA Matt Hall Because of His Extremism and Violent Past
- The ads, as mentioned in MIRS and The Gander, target swing voters across Hall’s district by highlighting the threatening messages he sent to another college student, saying, “I’ve got a shotgun rifle and I just put a bullet in it with your name on it!”
We’re grateful for not one, but two, historic budgets passed this summer to invest in Michigan infrastructure and create the largest ever per-pupil funding:
- Michigan Dems Chair Statement on Historic Budget Signing, Investing Billions Into Michigan Communities
- Governor Whitmer signed the historic multi-billion dollar state budget that will lift up the middle class and grow Michigan’s economy for all, not just the 1%. This budget will improve Michigan’s infrastructure, bring more green jobs to the state, and lower costs for families.
- Michigan Dems Celebrate Historic Education Budget and Slam Republican Opposition
- This funding will invest in teacher retention, provide free school meals for all K-12 public schools, take a first step toward expanding pre-K for all 4-year-olds, and stand as the highest per pupil funding in Michigan history.
We’re grateful to be the party in Michigan that hasn’t engaged in *literal* party infighting that’s broken bones:
- ICYMI: MIGOP Chaos Turns Into All Out Brawl
- This brawl comes on the heels of ongoing chaos within the Michigan GOP, as Kristina Karamo convened the Saturday meeting to address protests from her members over her removing a budget committee chair who questioned her internal spending. This is not even the first physical altercation to break out amongst members of the Michigan GOP…
And most importantly, Michigan Democrats are grateful to Michiganders for trusting us with a blue trifecta so we can deliver on all the most important issues:
- As Historic Legislative Session Wraps Up, Michiganders will Reap the Benefits of Democrats’ Accomplishments
- The Michigan Legislature has closed out one of the most productive legislative sessions in Michigan history where Democrats delivered on the issues Michiganders care about most, including defending reproductive rights, lowering costs for the middle class, improving health care, and creating clean energy jobs.
We hope you are spending time with loved ones, relaxing, and taking time to reflect on what you’re grateful for this week. For Republicans, we hope they’re grateful for Democrats putting in the work so Michiganders aren’t left in the lurch while they’re busy squabbling and pushing an extremist agenda.
Signing off for the holidays,
Michigan Dems
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